Louisiana Educator Jessica Ockman Selected for Prestigious National Teacher Leadership Program

DONALDSVILLE, LA (July 23, 2024) -  Twelve teacher leaders from across the country will join the inaugural class for the NIET Fellows Program. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is among the largest trainers of teacher leaders, with more than 35,000 teacher leaders trained to date. The new NIET Fellows Program selects just twelve teacher leaders for a dynamic one-year program to deepen their knowledge of instructional best practices and more effectively support the work taking place within and beyond their school and district. 

Among the distinguished fellows is Jessica Ockman from Donaldsonville Primary School at Ascension Public Schools in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Ockman was one of just 12 selected to be a part of the fellowship and receive a $10,000 stipend out of nearly 250 applicants from across the country. 

“I am honored to welcome Jessica Ockman from Ascension Public Schools in Louisiana as a member of the inaugural cohort of the NIET Fellows Program," said NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett. "Ascension Public Schools is a leader in developing effective teacher leader roles, and Jessica brings to the fellowship her own expertise as well as her knowledge of how to use teacher leadership roles to support and grow students in her district. We are excited for the NIET Fellows to help take teacher leadership to the next level." 

Ockman holds 20 years of teaching experience, nine of which were spent as a TAP instructional leader. Since her first experience with NIET, she has served as a Career Teacher, Mentor Teacher, and Master Teacher. Ockman currently serves as a Master Teacher at Donaldsonville Primary School, providing support in Curriculum and Instruction to 23 teachers. With her support, Donaldsonville Primary earned the ranking of a “C” school for the first time in history. As an experienced TAP Master Teacher and a lead learner, Ockman always seeks opportunities to grow her capacity as a school leader while continuing to provide coaching and support at some of the highest-need schools in Ascension Parish. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University.

"We are delighted to celebrate Jessica’s acceptance into the NIET Fellows Program,” said Ascension Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Edith Walker. “Jessica has always been a lead learner and highly effective in supporting her fellow educators in the classroom. Her work as a master teacher is making a difference for teachers and students, and we look forward to the skills and strategies she will develop through this program.”

The NIET Fellows Program was created with educator effectiveness in mind, bringing together teacher leaders from partner schools nationwide who demonstrate exceptional implementation of NIET's principles, emphasizing educator excellence and advancing student success. Throughout the year-long fellowship, fellows will participate in professional development activities designed to enhance their leadership capabilities, including an introductory boot camp and involvement with two signature NIET events throughout the year - the 2025 NIET National Conference and the 2025 NIET Summer Institute. Each fellow will regionally travel to shadow NIET’s Senior Specialists while maintaining their full-time employment status, including salary and benefits, with their respective districts while being released to participate in program activities throughout the year.

“As a member of the inaugural NIET Fellows Cohort, I’m looking forward to deepening my instructional skills as I support the teachers and students in Louisiana and bring about a positive change,” Ockman said. “One of the most gratifying things about being a teacher leader is seeing what you can accomplish together. Through intentional teacher support, the teacher’s implementation of the high-quality curriculum becomes more impactful, learning becomes more intentional, equitable experiences are provided for all students, and achievement gaps are closed.”

NIET has over 20 years of experience in developing teacher leaders, supporting successful instructional strategies, and building educator capacity to address student needs. NIET partners with schools, districts, states, and universities to ensure all students are taught by effective educators. Through these partnerships, NIET has served more than 9,000 schools and has impacted more than 300,000 teachers and 3 million students.

Read more about the NIET Fellows Program and meet the other 2024-25 fellows here.